Mobile telephone handsets utilising folding covers are well-known. In such devices, when the telephone is on standby or switched off, a folding cover is closed back over the main body of the phone. In use, such as when making a call, the cover is opened.
Some of such handsets are simply provided with a folding cover, which simply provides a microphone for the user to speak into. The folding cover is small in size relative to the main body of the handset.
Other such handsets are provided with two parts each of which include functional elements of the phone, and which are substantially similar in size. One part may house a keypad for the phone, and the other part may house a display for the phone. The two parts may be folded over when the phone is not in use or on standby. Typically the two parts of such a handset may completely cover the functional surfaces of the handset, that is the user display and the keypad, when closed. Such handsets may be described as ‘clamshell’ handsets.
A particular advantage of such handsets is that when the handset is closed, it is physically much smaller and therefore less bulky to carry.
A disadvantage with such an apparatus is that the large display is not useable when the phone is closed, the display being an expensive component of the phone. The user may wish to see the user display when the device is in its closed position, for example if the device is remaining on standby. However in order to enable the display to be visible, it would not be possible to fold the phone closed to such a small size.
A solution has been proposed for this problem by providing a handset with two displays. A normal display is provided for when the handset is open. A second display is provided for when the handset is closed, and the first display is not accessible. Due to structural constraints, the second display is usually smaller than the first. Typically, the two displays may be provided on opposite sides of the folding or closing part of the handset.
A disadvantage with such a solution is that the provision of a second display increases the material costs of the handset. In addition the provision of twin displays requires technical development resources. Furthermore, the use of a more complex design may lead to increased reliability problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus which addresses one or more of the above-stated problems.